I'm Sorry
by The Majestic Ninja
Summary: Post Mocking Jay. Gale never intended to send the letter, but somehow Katniss received it in the mail. She goes to visit him.
1. Chapter 1

Dear Katniss,

I'm sorry. For everything. I'm…I'm just sorry. I'm sorry for not telling you how I felt about you sooner, so you wouldn't have to go running into the arms of Peeta. I'm sorry I didn't run away with you when we still could have. This whole thing could have been avoided, and we could be happy. I'm sorry for getting so caught up in the war, for not realizing what it was doing to you. I'm sorry for helping to make you the Mocking Jay, when what you really needed was to be away from all the violence. After all, going through two of the Hunger Games, you've had enough of it for a lifetime. Most of all I'm sorry for Prim. I'm sorry I'm the reason for…you know. I'm not the one that dropped the bomb, but I made it knowing what it would do. Not knowing it would kill your Prim, but perhaps someone else's. I want to tell you all of these things, but I can't. You're all the way in District 12. I could go there, and tell you in person, but that would be wrong of me. I've caused you so much pain I at least owe you the promise that you'll never have to see my face again, no matter how much pain it causes me. That's my punishment, to finally give up. To stop fighting for you and just hope that you're happy with Peeta, and that he's good to you. I know he will be because he's such a god dam great guy. Forgive my bitterness. Well, that's all I wanted to say. Needed to say really. Don't worry I won't sent this. I just needed to write it. So goodbye Catnip. I love you, and I won't put you though anymore pain.

Gale


	2. Chapter 2

I walked down the square of District 2, a place that had become familiar to me over the past several months. It had become a place that I can almost call home. Almost. As I walk I see a few familiar faces, but I wasn't prepared for the most familiar one. It's the face from my dreams, the face of the girl whose life I ruined. Katniss. I stop dead in my tracks, making the person walking behind me crash into my back. Whoever it was let out a string of nasty insults, but none of them register, my mind is working overtime, trying to figure out why Katniss would be here. I walk closer to her, my eyes never leaving hers.

"Hi," she whispers when I'm within earshot. I don't day anything in return; scared the sound of my voice will crumble this beautiful illusion.

"I-I got this in the mail," she said holding up a piece of paper. "I read it and I…I had to see you." She mumbled

I looked at the paper held tightly in her hands and saw my handwriting scrawled upon it. I reached out for it and quickly read it, becoming more baffled with every word.

I looked up at Katniss, confusion clouding my head. "How did you get this?" I asked incredulously. "I didn't send it."

Katniss looked at me suspiciously. "Like I said, I got it in the mail."

"But…" My voice trailed off, I tried to think how it could have gotten to her.

Katniss looked down at her feet awkwardly. It had been so long since I had seen her last, and we had not left of the best of terms.

"I don't know how it got to you…but…I did mean it. Every word. I'm sorry Katniss; sorry for everything I put you through. I'm…sorry," I finish, unable to find words strong enough to express my regret.

"I know," she whispers, slowly lifting her head to meet my gaze. "That's why I came. I miss you Gale. I keep trying to find a way to make myself happy now that it's all over, that the capitol has fallen, but it's not working. The only time I really was happy, really happy and not putting on an act for cameras, was when I was in the forest with you."

"What are you trying to say?" I asked slowly, trying to contain the sudden sense of hope that there was a possibility that she could forgive me, even a little bit.

"I'm trying to say I want you in my life," She said, looking frustrated. Katniss had never been one for sharing feelings.

I looked down at her disbelievingly. This seemed much too similar to one of my dreams, but it was much too real. I could feel the wind blowing in my hair; I could hear the crowd in the square chatting around us. These distractions had never been present in my dreams. I could feel my sense of hopefulness building the longer I stood there. I forced myself to ask the question I didn't want to know the answer to.

"How's Peeta?"

She smiled slightly. "You don't have to worry about Peeta. We don't even talk anymore. Things are just too hard. I can't be with him and forget all of the horrible things that have happened. I just want to forget."

I could no longer contain the sense of hope. It engulfed me. It took every fiber in my being not to grab her face and kiss her as I never had before.

I looked down at the letter in my hands and saw the line that brought me back to my senses.

_I've caused you so much pain I at least owe you the promise that you'll never have to see my face again, no matter how much pain it causes me_.

"No," I whispered, avoiding her eyes. "I can't do this. It's my punishment. I can't cause you more pain. I can't." My voice broke on the last word.

"But Gale…" I heard Katniss begin, but I was already turning away. I needed to get away from her, to clear my head.

I pushed my way through the crowd.

"Gale!" Katniss yelled after me.

I didn't look back. I knew if I did my self-control would be lost.

"I'm sorry Katniss," I whispered.


End file.
